1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bag support devices and more particularly pertains to sandbag filling aids which may be used for supporting a sandbag in an upright position and providing a fill-chute to enable a single person to rapidly and efficiently fill sandbags during emergency situations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of sandbag filling aids is known in the prior art. More specifically, sandbag filling aids heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of filling sandbags during emergency situations are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for supporting a sandbag in an upright position and providing a fill-chute to enable a single person to rapidly and efficiently fill sandbags during emergency situations in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,406 to Buckley et al. discloses a portable, self-supporting, collapsible utility stand for supporting a trash bag or the like in an upright manner with its top open to receive the deposit of trash or other material therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,308 to Franks discloses a bag support for maintaining the mouth of a bag in an open position that includes a base which is sized to be received within the bag and a pair of spaced apart support arms secured to the base; each of the support arms include two rigid portions connected by a resilient member.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,742 to Krauss discloses a sandbag support incorporating a pair of U-shaped edge upstanding panel members. All three of the above inventions consist of frail structural elements which would not withstand service at an emergency sandbagging operation.
The prior art also discloses a trash bag holder as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,839 to Stevens which consists of a pair of circular support members interconnected by a pair of legs. The legs pivot at their respective midpoints such that the trash bag can be collapsed into a folded position for easy storage or carrying.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,226 to Brooks describes a universal collapsible bag support stand having upper and lower bag retainer rings interconnected at spaced apart locations by a pair of straight tubular column members.
Neither of the above disclosures provides a way to catch and direct material into the mouth of the bag.
In this respect, the sandbag filling aid according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of supporting a sandbag in an upright position and providing a fill-chute to enable a single person to rapidly and efficiently fill sandbags during emergency situations.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved sandbag filling aids which can be used for filling sandbags during emergency situations. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for filling sandbags during emergency situations. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.